


Traumatic Wake-up Call

by n0m_de_plum



Series: Buddy Cops [3]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Police, F/M, Friendship/Love, Male-Female Friendship, Secret Relationship, Step-siblings, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-09
Updated: 2016-05-09
Packaged: 2018-06-07 06:41:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6791674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/n0m_de_plum/pseuds/n0m_de_plum
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>No buddy cop story is complete without one partner's life being endangered at a certain point...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Traumatic Wake-up Call

**Author's Note:**

> This installment is dedicated to pt159 who pointed out this universe's full potential.

"Deputy, if you'd just step aside..."

"Deputy, let us do our jobs!"

"Ma'am..."

"Deputy, please..."

"She's in shock."

"What do we do?"

"Get the stretcher."

"What?"

"She has the artery clamped. Lets just get both of them to the unit and deal with it en route!"

Regina lifted onto her heels to shift with his body as the two EMTS lifted Robin by his shoulders and hips onto a stretcher.

"Is she steady enough?"

"Yeah, I think so. We'll be real quick onto the gurney. Ready? One, two, three!"

Both lifted with all their might depositing the stretcher holding both of them onto the gurney.

The legs popped up and the two pushed it over to load into the ambulance.

As the doors slammed shut the male EMT wrapped an arm around Regina's waist and lifted her off Robin's body.

"No, no!" she screamed as she felt her fingers slipping from where she had them lodged inside his neck.

"It's alright! We've got it."

Luckily they did. The female EMT was immediately on the wound with gauze and a metal clamp, stopping the blood flow after only a single spurt.

The ambulance surged to a start as the man placed her down on the other side of the truck.

"Just sit tight," he said calmly, draping a blanket around her shoulders, "We're on our way to the hospital right now."

Regina shook her head frantically, unable to tear her eyes away from her partner, "He's losing too much blood!"

The male EMT looked over at his partner who had hooked Robin up to a heart and blood pressure monitor. The worry was written plainly on her face.

"We'll be there soon," was all he said.

She couldn't say how long the ride took. Nothing registered until the ambulance doors swung open and Robin was wheeled out.

"This way, Deputy," the female EMT prompted, helping her out of the truck and into the emergency room where she was lowered into a chair.

Regina stared at her hands. They were covered in blood. She flexed them open and closed slowly. There wasn't a single spot of her own skin showing. Every in was red...sticky.

She jumped nearly out of her skin when a hand landed on her arm, "Regina?"

Blinking she looked up, finding Nolan and Bjorgman standing over her.

"Yes?" she asked hoarsely.

"Are you okay? We heard what happened!" Anna asked.

"Of course I am," she answered, "Why are you asking me that?! I'm not the one who got shot! You ought to be concerned about Robin!"

"Regina, of course we are," David assured her, "I just want to make sure you're okay too."

"Well I am!" she snapped, "I'm fine...I'm fine."

She pushed herself up out of the chair, but her head instantly swimming.

"Whoa!" David reached forward, holding her up, "Hang on. Just sit down."

"I'm fine," she repeated.

"Regina, it's alright," Anna reassured her, setting a hand on her back.

"I said I'm fine!" she snapped, jerking harshly away from Bjorgman's gentle touch.

"Okay," David stepped between them, drawing his partner aside, "I'll call Mary-Margaret."

Anna nodded.

Regina closed her eyes drawing deep breaths. She needed concentrate, but it felt like she couldn't keep a single thought in her head for more than a second.

"Regina!" a voice drew her attention.

Mary-Margaret appeared in front of her, dressed in her white scrubs. She must have been on shift.

"Come on," she urged Regina to her feet and lead her to the elevator.

She wasn't sure what floor they got off on, but Mary-Margaret steered her into an empty patient room.

"What is this?" Regina asked.

"One of our better birthing suites," Mary-Margaret said, flipping on the bathroom light, "It has a shower. You're never supposed to say this out loud in L&D, but it's been slow tonight, so you should be able to clean up without being disturbed."

After Mary-Margaret shut the door behind her Regina slowly shed her clothes and got under the spray. The water hit her, rinsing away the blood coating her hands. A wave of nausea hit her as red water swirled around her feet and washed down the drain.

Squeezing her eyes tightly closed, she pounded her fist against the tile wall. She needed to pull herself together! She couldn't fall apart now.

She felt a flood of guilt at her own weakness. Robin was always there for her...every day, for every little thing.

This was a big thing.

She needed to repay the favor. She couldn't just fall apart.

"Regina!" Mary-Margaret banged on the shower door, "I put a towel and my spare scrubs on the sink."

"Thanks," she answered, turning off the water.

She opened the door, dried off, and slipped on the scrubs. Her clothes had disappeared from the floor. Only her shoes were left. She slid them on, and opened the bathroom door. Mary-Margaret was sitting on the bed, her purse and a white laundry sack next to her.

"I gathered up your clothes," she explained, "I've taken the rest of my shift off so that I can drive you home."

"No," Regina shook her head, "I need you to take me to the station."

"Why?" Mary-Margaret asked.

"I have a spare uniform in my locker there. I need to change so that I can make the notification."

"Notification?" the other woman asked, "What are you talking about?"

"Robin's ex-wife, his son. They need to know what happened."

"You plan to tell them now?"

"I can't exactly wait!" she pointed out.

"You're in shock, Regina. I don't know if this is a good idea," Mary-Margaret argued.

"I didn't ask if you thought it was a good idea!" Regina responded, "If you won't give me a ride give me my phone! I'll get someone from the department to do it."

"I didn't say I wouldn't!" Mary-Margaret held up her hands defensively, "But-"

"Lets go then!"

* 0 * 0 * 0 * 0 * 0 * 0 *

Regina clenched her firsts. Her hands were still shaking as did up the buttons on her shirt.

She managed to get her clothes and utility belt on straight. Glancing at the mirror inside her locker she frowned. Her hair had air dried after the shower at the hospital leaving it twisting into its natural waves, and taking the time to tame it into the clean military bun she preferred to wear while on duty wasn't going to be an option.

She slammed the door closed. Reminding herself that it wouldn't matter in this instance. As much as she wanted to be as professional as possible, Robin's ex wasn't going to care what she looked like. Not when she was going to be the person coming to tell her that the father of her child might be...

She couldn't finish the thought.

Taking a deep breath, she went back out to Mary-Margaret's car.

Regina spent the drive over focusing on what she was going to say. She needed to do this right. He was her partner it was her responsibility to do so.

As the car pulled up to Marian Locksley's house, however, there was already a two sheriff's department squad cars parked outside. She briefly saw a woman sliding into the backseat as Graham closed the door behind her and waved to the driver to go.

"What's happening?" Mary-Margaret asked.

Regina ignored the question, opening the passenger's side door and climbing out.

Graham stood straighter as he caught sight of her.

"You made the notification?" she asked.

"Of course. I'm the sheriff," he answered.

She nodded, "Of course."

She hadn't thought of that. Why hadn't she thought of that?

"Regina," he asked, "Are you...alright?"

She tried to nod yes, but couldn't. Instead it turned into a head shake as she stepped forward, holding onto him like a lifeline.

Graham embraced her back, but she could feel the awkwardness in it. She looked up at him. He was glancing over her shoulder at Mary-Margaret's car.

"My sister," Regina explained.

Graham nodded, "Nolan's wife. I remember."

"She won't say anything."

"Are you sure?" he asked warily.

"Yes...I...Graham?"

He sighed, "Sorry. Look Regina, I know this is hard, but I have to get back to the station."

"Okay," she nodded

"I'll need you to meet with the state police to make an official statement," Graham told her, "And, it doesn't have to be now, but I'll need you to turn in your service weapon by tomorrow."

"Yes, right, of course," Regina answered.

" An officer involved shooting. You know how that goes."

"Yeah."

"I'll call you later," he said squeezing her arm reassuringly.

It was warm for March, but she felt cold as he walked back to his squad car.

"David picked up Henry and took him to our place," Mary-Margaret informed her when Regina got back into the car, "Did you want to go there or back to the hospital?"

"Hospital," Regina answered, allowing herself to wrap her arms around her middle.

* 0 * 0 * 0 * 0 * 0 * 0 *

The waiting room on the recovery floor was packed with sheriff's department employees. Even most of the people who were off that day had come in.

They all looked at Regina with sympathetic eyes as she entered the room.

"I'll speak to the floor nurse," Mary-Margaret's voice drew her attention, "See if I can get any information."

Regina nodded. She took a seat by the wall, trying, as best she could to avoid the crowd gathered at the middle of the room.

After what felt like an eternity of her colleagues staring at her, Mary-Margaret plopped down in the next chair.

"He's still in surgery. No one knows anything more than that."

Regina nodded.

"So...you and Sheriff Humbert? How long has that been going on?" the younger woman whispered.

"Do look like I'm in the mood to gossip about my love life right now?"

"Are you ever?"

Regina smacked her hands against the arms of the chair and started to push herself up.

"Wait!" Mary-Margaret held her arm, "I'm sorry. I'm just trying to take your mind off things."

"I don't want you to take my mind off things!" Regina hissed.

"You worrying doesn't help Robin," her step-sister argued.

She didn't get it, but Regina was too tired to argue so she just slumped into the chair.

"I don't want to talk."

"Okay," Mary-Margaret nodded.

* 0 * 0 * 0 * 0 * 0 * 0 *

Regina jolted awake heart racing. Mary-Margaret was asleep in the chair next to her.

A glance at her watch told her it was a little after midnight.

The waiting room was mostly empty. Most of the well-wishers had either gone home for the night, or migrated to the coffee shop.

She sat up rubbing sleep from her eyes.

Across the room Marian Locksley was curled up in another one of the chairs, her long dark hair fanned across her shoulder covering her son's matching curly mane. One of the younger deputies was in a nearby chair on his phone.

Sensing her gaze, he glanced up and meet her eyes. She gave him a subtle nod, which he returned.

As she pushed herself up out of the chair her whole body ached with tension.

She stretched her legs as she walked to the nurses' station.

"Excuse me. Do you have any information about Robin Locksley?"

"Are you a family member?" the nurse asked.

"I'm a police officer," Regina pointed out the obvious, not bothering to hide her annoyance, "Deputy Locksley is my partner."

"What's your name?"

"Regina Mills!"

"Oh, yes," she nodded after pulling up his file on her computer, "You're on Mr. Locksley's emergency contact list. It looks like he got out of surgery a little while ago. His doctor was just about to inform the family."

"Is he alright?"

"His condition is listed as stable, and he's scheduled to be allowed visitors as soon as he wakes from anesthesia," the nurse answered, "There's only some much you can tell from the file, but...all the signs look good."

The sigh of relief left her lips involuntarily.

"I'd like to see him," she said.

The nurse hesitated, "We don't normally allow visitors until a patient wakes up from anesthesia, but...since you're law enforcement."

"Thank you," Regina answered.

"Room 15. Two minutes!"

She nodded, already heading down the corridor.

Robin was still unconscious when she stepped into the room, and hooked up several machines.

It was jarring sight that stopped her in her tracks.

He was breathing on his own, though, and not covered in blood.

That was an improvement to last she saw him, though. When she was using her bare hands to keep him from bleeding to death.

Taking a breath, she walked over to the bed and laid her hand on top of his. It was warm.

"You son-of-a-bitch. Of course, you're way too cocky to die even from a severed artery!" she shook her head.

A couple tears dropped from her eyes, but she quickly brushed them away.

The only brief indulgence she did allow herself was leaning forward to press a kiss against his forehead.

She quickly moved away, turning from the room. She was going to be strong through this. She owed him that.


End file.
